Topic: Multiculturalism
Canada is the only society left in the world committed to policies of multiculturalism, which would suggest that Canada is somehow doing better than other countries that do not endorse multiculturalism or have removed multicultural policies. But is this accurate? Does multiculturalism reduce prejudice and discrimination (i.e., racism)? Each person in Canada (whether born here or not) has a different experience of multiculturalism based on their position within the social hierarchy – this assignment asks you to analyze multiculturalism from your personal perspective, with the help of research.
For this assignment, you will be conducting a research-based critical and personal analysis of multiculturalism in Canada.
Part A: Research Sources
If you were born in canada or spent most of your life here:
Given your gender and ethnicity, what does research say about your position within Canadian society (i.e., the 2019 vertical mosaic)? What has been the experience of others in Canada with these same social characteristics in terms of prejudice and discrimination?
For Part A of this assignment, this is what you will do:
- You need to conduct research and find a minimum of three credible (preferably academic) sources to use as a basis for your analysis and to inform your opinion on the topic. Your sources should not be more than 10 years old.
- With each source, write a full page, double-spaced, on the following:
- Give the full reference of the source (as you would include in a Bibliography or Works Cited section);
- Briefly state what you learned from this source about how your particular position within Canadian society interacts with multiculturalism (i.e., the impact of the society on the individual) in terms of prejudice and discrimination;
- Briefly state how you will incorporate it into your analysis in Part B (again, not a summary – you must state how you plan to use this source in your Part B paper).
If you were born outside of canada:
Given your gender and ethnicity, what is your position within the social hierarchy of your home society? What has been the experience of others in that society with these same social characteristics in terms of prejudice and discrimination?
For Part A of this assignment, this is what you will do:
- You will need to conduct research and find a minimum of three credible (preferably academic) sources to use as a basis for your analysis and to inform your opinion on the topic. Your sources should not be more than 10 years old.
- With each source, write a full page, double-spaced, on the following:
- Give the full reference of the source (as you would include in a Bibliography or Works Cited section);
- Briefly state what you learned from this source about how your particular position within your home society contrasts with the ideals of multiculturalism in Canada – would you expect to experience more or less prejudice and discrimination in Canada under multiculturalism than in your home society (i.e., the impact of society on the individual)?
Briefly state how you will incorporate it into your analysis in Part B (again, not a summary – you must state how you plan to use this source in your Part B paper).
Part B: Critical Analysis
Now, using what you learned in class and from the research in Part A, construct a critical and personal analysis of multiculturalism in Canada from your own personal perspective.
If you were born in canada or spent most of your life here:
What has been your experience of multiculturalism in Canada? Conduct a comparative analysis between yourself and others in Canada with the same social characteristics.
Given your current position within the Canadian hierarchy (i.e., based on the 2019 vertical mosaic and research conducted), what has been your experience with prejudice and discrimination?
Does multiculturalism operate in Canada the way you think it should, or could? What changes would you make to Canadian society to improve multiculturalism?
If you were born outside of canada:
What has been your experience of multiculturalism in Canada? Conduct a comparative analysis between yourself and others in your home society with the same social characteristics – how are you being treated differently in Canada under multiculturalism than those in your home society (if at all)?
Given your current position within the Canadian hierarchy (i.e., based on the 2019 vertical mosaic and research conducted), what has been your experience with prejudice and discrimination?
Does multiculturalism operate in Canada the way you think it should, or could?
What changes would you make to Canadian society to improve multiculturalism?
This will require you to do some research beyond what we learned in the lecture notes and discussions.
Answer
1.
In this book it has been stated that multiculturalism was a policy which was adopted by the Canadians in 1971. The Canadian citizens feel that this policy is a very integral part of the Canadian community and their identity. They are very proud of this policy and feel that it has opened up many new platforms for the people of different culture and ethnicity. This book also describes the current limitation of this policy and how the other ethnic group is discriminated and marginalized. Hence this book is very essential in completing my report as it highlights the challenges faced by the other ethnic groups in Canada and their prejudice about other cultures. The authors Guo, & Wong, (2015) in this book has collected many researches and gathered information to explore the multiculturalism through different disciplinary lenses. This book will help me to understand the theoretical issues in the policies and will give a critical analysis about multiculturalism in Canada. Being from India I am aware of the term inequity as our Indian culture is filled with cultural discrimination and caste system since decades. Thus, being in a country which claims multiculturalism I hoped for less prejudice among the Canadian citizens. The book very well describes that the policy has many significant issues with the help of case studies that are organized through thematic topics which are related to multiculturalism. These topics include educational issues, divided loyalties, Diaspora communities. The case study about the education will be very significant in my research as international students face a lot of prejudice which can be justified with the help of this book.
2.
The book written by Haque (2012) explains about the multiculturalism and how from its time of interception it has created sensation and has also generated and various different reaction from different countries. In his book he examines the Canadian government attempt to falsify a policy of diversity and unity based on multiculturalism surrounded by a bilingual framework, ‘a formulation that surfaces out of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism’. He uncovered the policy of this bilingualism and has linked it with Multiculturalism inextricably. The author used different materials and contemporary studies that favor the Canadian culture and language. He also included the transcript of the royal commission hearing, reports and memos that reveals the underlying conflict and seamless policies regarding this policy. This book will help me understand the historical framework of multiculturalism in Canada and its evolution. This book will aid me to justify the rights in Canada regarding discrimination and prejudice. The powerful asymmetrical diversity in Canadian culture and language will be properly justified in this reading. Hence it will be easier for me to understand the history of this policy and how well the policy lasted. From this book I will be able to compare and contrast the initial policy and the discrimination that is prevalent in Canada at present.
3.
This journal is very efficient for the report as the author Abdul-Karim, (2018) in his journal has used a data file of the Census of Canada National Population Survey, 2011. In his thesis he asks that if the trained immigrants in Canada are more likely to work in their own field of study than the Canadian born. The finding of his research is that even though the immigrants are very much educationally qualified than the Canadians, they are less probable to work as a regulated profession that match their field of study. In his research he has used a critical race theory that explains the occurrence of inequality by arguing about the role of institutionalized racism in immigrants’ labor market outcome. This journal will help me gather a lot of data in which discrimination will be clearly stated and the prejudice among the Canadian will also be justified. It will also provide with additional data that help me to justify being educationally well-versed will not provide the immigrants with a job that will justify his educational capability. Canada being famous for their multiculturalism policy has barriers for the foreign credentials. According to me after spending a large sum of money that is almost triple than the domestic students for a valuable education, there are very rare chances that international students will be benefitted. After their graduation most of the international students are pushed into labor market because of this prejudice and discrimination. Hence this book will help me to understand the recent trend and policy of Canada towards foreign students.
References
Abdul-Karim, A. B. (2018). Barriers to foreign credential recognition, access to regulated professions and successful integration into the Canadian labour market.
Guo, S., & Wong, L. (Eds.). (2015). Revisiting multiculturalism in Canada: Theories, policies and debates. Springer.
Haque, E. (2012). Multiculturalism within a bilingual framework: Language, race, and belonging in Canada. University of Toronto Press.
